External Evaluator: Keishi Miyazaki Overall Rating A Foundation for Sustained Growth A #0 Construction of a Bridge over River at /Naini Contributing to alleviation of chronic traffic congestion by constructing a large-scale

Allahabad cable-stayed bridge (Project site) Loan Amount / Disbursed Amount 10.037 billion yen / 7.514 billion yen Loan Agreement January 1994 Terms & Conditions 2.6% interest rate, 30 year repayment period (10 year grace period), General untied Final Disbursement Date March 2005 Executing Agency National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) (http://www.nhai.org/)

Project Objectives Relevance Rating a The objectives of the project were to alleviate chronic congestion This project has been highly relevant with the national policies both and promote the smooth traffic flow in Allahabad in the state of -Ut at the time of appraisal and at the time of ex-post evaluation. The tar Pradesh by replacing a two-lane existing superannuated bridge location of the new bridge is a part of the National Highway 2, (Yamuna Bridge) across the Yamuna River connecting the districts of which forms the Golden Quadrilateral, the backbone of India’s do- Allahabad and Naini, with a four-lane bridge (Naini Bridge), as well mestic traffic. Therefore, the project continues to have high priority. as to strengthen the national highway network by connecting the main arterial roads, National Highways 2 and 27 and thereby con- Efficiency Rating b tribute to economic revitalization of the project area. Although the project costs were lower than planned (74% of planned), the project period was much longer than planned Effectiveness and Impact Rating a (169% of planned period), therefore, the evaluation for efficiency This project which consisted of construction of the first large-scale is moderate. The main reason for cost saving was the fluctuation cable-stayed bridge in India, was completed as planned. However, in exchange rates. The delay in the project was mainly due to the the annual number of passenger vehicles, buses, and trucks on change of the executing agency from Ministry of Road Transport the Naini Bridge in 2006 was 20,765 vehicles/day; 57% of the tar- Highways to NHAI, and a delay in tendering procedures. get. The main reasons for the low achievement were a prolonged slump in industrial activity in the Naini area since 1990 as well as Sustainability Rating a the restriction on daytime traffic for large trucks in Allahabad. It is No major problem has been observed for capacity, nor the opera- also indicated that the forecasts at the time of the initial plan were tion and maintenance (O&M) system, nor budget allocation for the inflated. Nevertheless, motorbike traffic volume in 2006 was more executing agency. Therefore, sustainability of the project is high. than double of that in 1990, at 15,700 vehicles/day. Furthermore, travel time from Allahabad to Naini was shortened to less than one Conclusion, Lessons Learned, Recommendation sixth of the former bridge time. The former bridge also had restric- In light of the above, this project is evaluated to be highly satisfac- tions on trucks’ weight and height so that heavy-loaded trucks tory. However, as it has been indicated that the initial target of had to take a detour road some tens of kilometers away from the future traffic volume for this project was overestimated, more ac- Yamuna Bridge. These trucks are now able to travel via the Naini curate research is required for future traffic volume forecasting. Bridge, which means even greater time savings for them. There- fore, this project has largely achieved its objectives and effective- ness is highly satisfactory.

Map of the Project Area Allahabad District Third-Party Opinion Highway 2 The Yamuna Bridge is located at the intersection of the two Delhi Kolkata arterial roads, Highway 2 and Highway 27. Therefore, the

Naini Project Area Yamuna Bridge Bridge relevance of this project is high. Thanks to the project, traffic (former bridge) (new congestion has been alleviated, travel time has been shortened, bridge) River and therefore has contributed to development of the city.

Yamuna River Name of specialist: Ms. Usha Raghupathi (academia) Received Masters degree in geography from the Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University, and a postgraduate diploma in planning from the School of Planning, CEPT. Currently a professor at the National Institute of Urban Affairs. Specializes in Naini District National urban development. Highway 27

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